Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there, so there are bound to be people who step over the line of what is acceptable. However, you can report a fellow Instagrammer for bad behavior, spam, or inappropriate content.
From reporting an individual post to reporting an entire account, here's how to do both on Instagram.
Common Reasons to Report a Profile or Post on Instagram
You can report an Instagram post or profile for many reasons, but in order for action to be taken by Instagram, the content must violate the Community Guidelines or Terms of Use.
These are the most common violations of Instagram's rules:
- Stolen content: Photographs or videos that you didn't capture yourself, items taken from the internet.
- Nudity: Whether it is artistic or not, nudity is not permitted on Instagram. The platform does allow photos of mastectomy scars and breastfeeding but not of any other type of nudity.
- Impersonation: Pretending to be someone you are not is grounds for suspension.
- Spamming: Asking for likes or repetitive comments on other's pages to promote yourself is not allowed.
- Illegal activities: Soliciting sex, drugs (even if they are legal in your area), weapons, and the private sale of animals are against Instagram's policies.
- Harassment: Instagram has strict rules that prohibit you from doxxing, using hate speech, terrorist activities, threats of harm, and violence (such as vandalism, assault, or theft).
- Self-harm: Sharing images or posts glorifying self-harm is grounds for suspension.
Pictures of nude paintings or sculptures are allowed. However, Instagram has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual content involving minors and threats of sharing intimate photos of others.
How to Report an Instagram Post
Instagram's Community Guidelines are similar to most social media platforms' rules. And if you see a post that violates the rules above, you can report it to Instagram.
To report a post on Instagram:
- Select the three dots in the top right corner.
- Tap the Report option.
- Choose the reason for reporting the post. Once you choose one of the options, the report will be automatically submitted.
Reporting an Instagram post will not result in immediate removal of the post or suspension of the account. Instagram's team must review the account to make sure it violates the Terms Of Service or Community Guidelines before taking action.
How to Report an Instagram Account
If you are scrolling on Instagram and come across an account that is offensive or violates Instagram's rules, you can report the profile.
You should use this option if the account regularly posts content that violates the rules or is centered around a theme that breaks the community guidelines. For example, you can report an account for engaging in harassment, posting spam, or posting content related to self-harm.
To report an Instagram account:
- Select the three dots in the top right corner.
- Tap the Report option.
- Choose the reason for reporting the account. The report will automatically submit once you choose one of the options.
Similar to the process of reporting an Instagram post, when you report an Instagram account, this will not result in the immediate removal of the account from the platform.
Instagram's moderators will have to review your report and the offending profile to see if it actually breaks any rules before taking action.
Reporting a Post or Profile Is Only One Option
Reporting a profile or post on Instagram that breaks the terms of service is one of the ways to make your online experience better overall. However, if you don't get the desired outcome, you can also mute or block an account to make sure it stays off your feed.